Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to review the effectiveness of the Childcare Funding system.

We see the early years as more than just childcare and central to our mission to give every child the best start in life. The department is focused on reforming the childcare system to ensure it is fit for purpose, so children get the best start in life and that high quality early education is available to all who need it.

To ensure that the early years funding system is hardwired to support those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need, the department will review early years funding, including the early years national funding formulae, consulting on a set of changes by summer 2026.

We will review how funding is distributed nationally and locally to ensure the funding system remains fair and effective at reflecting the costs of delivery and supporting those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need. The department will set out full details in the consultation next year.